Hand tool for making strips from sheet material



s. E. KING Filed Sept. 6, 1944 INVENTOR. Jamael 5J1 my 2 7 O 6 m Mm n .O 6 5 9 Wu A TTORNE Y which intersects the slots 6, I and 8.

Patented Oct. 23, 1945 'umrsoi s'm'rss FATENT omce 2,387,455 f I'iANn 'i'oon; not: MAKiNG'S'i-RIPS'FROM a SHEET MATERIAL, Samuel Emmett King,.Torrance, fittlif. h Application September 6, 1944-; sesame. 5521842 I 9 claims. (cranes) This invention relates to an improved toolfor makinglacing strips from was e pieces of leather, and} o'rie ofits objects is to provide a tool consisting ofa base or body, formed with a series of leather receiving slots or grooves" ofjd-ifierent widths, and a slitting-knifipivoted to swing across the slots"- 01 groovesandsd arranged that leather may be pulledthrough any one of the slots-against thefiedge or the knife, and a slit of the width of the slot may be produced from the leather.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a leather slitting tool of this type, with simple and inexpensive means for locking the knife in slitting or Working relation to the base and its different slots.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in certain new and useful constructions, combinations and arrangements of parts, clearly-described in the following specification, and fully illustrated in the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, showing the knife in locked position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view, showing a different side of the base, but illustrating the knife in open position in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is longitudinal sectional view, showing the form of the cutting side of the knife.

Fig. 4 is detail transverse sectional view through the base and knife, showing the start of leather slitting.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, showing a leather strip of uniform width being formed by the use of the slitting tool.

Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional view, taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrows. I

Fig. 7 is a similar view, taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, which illustrates a practical application of my invention, 5 designates a base, which may be formed of wood, aluminum, plastic or any other suitable material or metal. This base is the shape of a rectangular bar, and is formed with a series of transverse slots or grooves 6, 1 and 8, which are spaced longitudinally from each other.

The slot 6 is the narrowest slot of the series, and the slot 8is the widest slot of the series, while theslot I has a width less than that of the slot 8 and more than that of the slot 6.

The bar 5 is further formed with a longitudinal slot 9, which is located near the side face Ill, and

A knife blade II is disposed in the slot 9, and

: may swing into and outof the' slot 9.

ne'forwar end qf the kriife'jisrelieved at 1w, andprojeeeslightly from the forward end of the base, so thatit' forms' a" finger hold to swing'the knife to dpen position; The knife is retained in closed, slitting position within the slot 9, by means of the C-shaped retainer l3, which is pivotally secured by its ends l4 and l 5 to the base, so that the intermediate cross bar 16 will slide against the back edge of the knife blade and force the blade to its innermost position in the slot 9.

By opening the retainer l3 and removing the pin l2 the knife may be separated from the base and resharpened.

A piece of waste or scrap leather I! is first prepared for slitting, by cutting a hole in the leather, and then starting a narrow Wedge sliver of leather [8 through the slot which is to be used for producing the desired lacing Width.

The leather starting sliver is then pulled through the slot against the cutting edge of the knife blade, so that a lacing strip of uniform width is formed. While this is being done, the leather is manipulated so that the slitting develops parallel to the edge of the hole formed in the leather.

The leather straightens itself out in lacing strip form after it leaves the knife edge. The opening in the leather should be large enough to easily receive the base 5. The knife should be provided with a long bevel so that it will offer a minimum resistance to the pulling of the leather through the slot engaged.

By starting the leather through the slot of the width of the lacing strip to be formed, strips of the wanted width may be produced with little effort.

My improved slitting tool will enable any person to make his or her shoe laces from the favored kind of leather, and to provide laces for basket and foot balls, and for tennis racquets.

It is understood that various changes in the design, proportion and relation of the parts to each other may be resorted to, within the scope of the invention, as defined in the claims of this application.

- Having described my invention I claim as new:

1. A tool for producing pliant strips, consisting of a base having a transverse slot therein, and a knife pivoted on and telescopic into the base and across the slot and a loop pivoted on one end of the base to bridle the near end of the closed knife.

swing into and out of said groove, and a C-shaped retainer pivoted to the base and arranged to swing against the outer edge of the knife to retain the same in itsslot.

7. Means adapted for insertion through a hole therefor in sheet-material and consisting of a bar base formed with a plurality of slots of different widths and also formed with a groove intersecting the first-named slots, a knife blade disposed in the groove, and means for retaining both ends of the knife against movement on the base.

5. A tool for producing strips, consisting of a base formed with a plurality of slots of different lengths and also formed with a groove intersecting the first-named slots, a knife blade pivoted at one end in said groove to occupy a position across all of the slots, and means for retaining the knife blade against pivotal movement.

6. A tool for producing strips, consisting of a base formed with a plurality of slots of different lengths and also formed with a groove intersecting all of the first-named slots, a blade disposed in the groove, a pin pivotally connecting the blade at one end thereof to the base to permit it to provided with a side kerf to receive the applied edge of the material, and a blade in the kerf forming an eye to receive a lead end cut in said materiaLone edge: of the blade being sharpened whereby as the said end is pulled through the eye an elongate strip is cut from the material by the cutting edge.

- r 8. An implement for cutting elongate strips from sheet material and including a bar shaped handle adapted to be inserted endwise in an aperture formed therefor in the material to be cut and. which handle has a plurality of selective, lateral kerfs of different depths for reception of the hole edge of the material to different degrees of width, and a cutting edged means presented in each kerf at difierent distances from the bottoms of'the kerf wherebyto produce strips of diiferent widths according to the kerf selected.

9. A barshaped handle provided along one side with a plurality of cross-kerfs of different depths into the handle, and cutting-edged means closing the ker-fs.

SAMUEL EMMETT KING. 

